Sheet handling mechanism



May 19, 1959 T; J. MISBIN ETAL 7, 5

SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 31, 1957 INVENFORS. TED J. mssm WALTER HANSTEIN 7 BY HAROLD M. FREDERICK AGENT y 1959 "r. J. MISBYIN ETAL 2,887,315

I SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Filed May 3:; 1957 I I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 1 W M H s x .07 i i 8x3 1| .l 1 g ar-f I -U T NVENTORSI M ED J. Ml Bl o m WALTER HAN EIN (\I By HAROLD M. FREDERICK N r 292. 52 M Ag;

AGENL May 19, 1959 T. J. MISBIN ETAL SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 31, 1957 INVENTORS. TED J. MISBIN WALTER HANSTEIN BY HAROLD M. FREDERICK AGENT 'May 19, 1959 T. J. MISBIN ETAL SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 File d May 31, 1957 United States Patent SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Ted J. Misbin, Bryn Mawr, Walter Hanstein, Villa Nova, and Harold M. Frederick, Berwyn, Pa., assignors to Burroughs Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 31, 1957, Serial No. 662,782

24 Claims. (Cl. 271--19) The present invention relates to the art of paper feeding and more particularly to a novel mechanism for removing the top or end sheet of a stack of sheets, such for example, as vouchers, checks and the like.

In mechanisms functioning for sheet removing there have been many ways proposed including sheet contacting feed rollers; reciprocahle fingers having glue or other adhesive thereon for temporarily gripping the sheet to be removed; magnetically operable pusher means; vacuum pickups; and combined gravity and feed devices. The contact roller feed devices operate uncertainly due to variations in contact pressure so that with any abnormal pressure second and third sheets are also fed to disrupt the proper sequence which in the case of successive printing results in many unprinted sheets. The adhesive finger type devices to be effective require a critical pressure adjustment and also an adhesive which does not deteriorate to thereby reduce the essential frictional engagement. Others of those mentioned above have corresponding limitations rendering them, at least in their presently known forms, objectionable for general use.

An object of the invention is to provide a device for feeding sheets one at a time wherein the foregoing disadvantages are overcome.

A particularly difficult problem inrthe handling of sheet material, and more specifically in the handling of checks in banking operations, is the random sizes and thicknesses of the checks now in use. Such differently constructed checks often are used by different banks and sometime by the same bank. To feed these checks automatically into check handling equipment normally requires manual separation into the various sizes with aresultant loss of time and money.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a sheet hand-ling mechanism operable to 'feed sheets one at a time from a loose stack of sheets of intermixed sizes and shapes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet removing device wherein the top or end sheet only of a stack of sheets is positively engaged, then separated from the stack and removed. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination of a sheet separating and removing mechanism with a controlled latch operating in conjunction with stieh mechanism to ensure positive sheetcon'trel.

Generally considered, one form of sheet removing mechanism in accordance with the present invention inchides a pin piclooff device for lifting a portion of the to'por end sheet of a stack ofintermixed sheets, inserting a separating member between the lifted portion of the sheet and thestack, thus separating a portion of the sheet from the stack, and finally feeding the so separated shee't away from the stack.

In considering the presently disclosed mechanism it should be understood that even though checks are constructed 'diiferently, the difference is such "that Tin a stack of loosely held checks of intermixed sizes and shapes 2,887,3lfi Patented May 19, 1 959 each check has a portion falling within a common area.

The present mechanism is positioned relative to the hopper containing the stack so that it operates on this common area of each check.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be found throughout the following description, which may be more readily understood when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of a sheet pick-off unit embodying one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken at ninety degrees to the view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the pick-off head;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the parts of the pick-off unit;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary end elevation view of the stack hopper showing the pick-off unit as related to the stack of checks and the coacting stripping member;

Fig. 8 is an elevation view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the check end being separated by the stripping member;

Fig. 9 is a like elevation view of the parts shown in Fig. 8 but with the check drawn outwardly for contact engagement with the feed roller;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line 1010 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view like Fig. 10 but showing the preliminary step of check separation;

Fig. 12 is a face view of the parts shown in Fig. 11, showing the removal of the separated check; and

Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional view of the head unit illustrating the sheet pick-off.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 13, one form of the present invention comprises two flat elongated pick-off heads 10 and 11 arranged in juxtaposed relation in the same plane for sliding movement toward and away from each other. The heads mount a row of fixed needle-pointed pins 12 and 13 respectively, see Figure 13, disposed relative to each other at a suitable angle, preferably sixty degrees, each thirty degrees from a line perpendicular to the plane of the end sheet of the stack of sheets, with the pointed ends of the pins projecting outwardly through the head bottom a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the thinnest check or other stacked articles to be removed from the stack. The use of the word check where appearing in the following description is only by way of example and is not used by way of limitation. While the pin may be fixed in the heads, in the present embodiment each pin is threaded into its drilled hole in the head, and has a slotted end to be engaged by a screw driver for accurately fixing the correct pin projection. The angular arrangement of the two pin rows of the heads diverge in order to enter the end check of a stack in opposite directions when the two heads are seated against the, check and the heads are moved apart. v I s For supporting the heads 10 and l1 and also providing wedge means for slidably separting them, eaeh end or the head 10 is cut away to form two support cam faces 14 disposed at an angle to the end check of a stack, for example, forty-five degrees, see Fig. 6. Between the faces 14 the head 10 has a laterally disposed abutment 15 arranged in assembled condition of the Qtwoheads to seat against a like abutment 16 on the other head 11. This abutment '16 is formed between two end cutaways which respectively form two support cam faces 17 dis posedat an angle to the plane of the stack, for example, forty-five degrees. Each of the heads is chamfered as shown at 18 to permit the check to bow between pins 12 and 1-3 as more fully explained hereinafter.

For slidably 'separating "the two heads 10 and 1 1 '5' wedge 19 is provided. The wedge comprises an elongated block having cam feet 20 and 21 projecting respectively from opposite ends thereof and spaced to permit the abutments 15 and 16 to ride into abutting relation. The cam foot 20 is formed with two side angular cam faces 22 and 23 diverging from one end of the block 19 at a suitable angle, preferably forty-five degrees, to the end sheet of the sheet stack for matching seating of the respective cam faces 14 and 17 of the heads and 11. Similarly the foot 21 is formed with two side angular cam faces 24 and 25 diverging from the other end of the cam block wedge 19 at the same angle as feet 20 to the end sheet of the sheet stack for matching seating with the other cam faces 14 and 17 of the heads 10 and 11. Each of the feet 20 and 21 has a transverse undercut 26 forming respectively clearances which permit that portion of the pin pierced check between the pin rows to be unrestricted and so avoid any react-ion tending to release the check.

when held by the pins. When the cam feet are pressed against the end check, the heads 10 and 11 are forced apart and the pins then press into the end check for separation from the stack.

The heads 10 and 11 are spring biased to abutting relation beneath the bridge body of cam block wedge 19. The ends of head 10 each has an outwardly projecting lug 27 and the ends of head 11 are provided with similar lugs. 28. The pairs of lugs 27 and 28 at opposite ends of the respective heads are transversely aligned and connected by coil springs 31 under tension thus to keep cam surfaces 14 and 17 on heads 10 and 11 respectively in sliding contact with surfaces 22, 25 and 24, 25 on Wedge 19.

For controlling the movement of the cam block 19 toward and away from the stack of checks or other sheets, the cam block 19 has a central counterbore to seat the head 32 of a stud 33 (Figs. 1 and 2), which is threaded into the outer end of a control plunger 34. This plunger 34 has an integral collar 35 at one end seating upon an insert 36 fastened to the annular flange 37 of a latching cylinder 38 by means of studs 40. The flanged end of the cylinder 38 encircles the collar 35 as a guide and has diametrically disposed slotted guides 41, which straddle the respective cam ends of the wedge block 19. Opposite ends of these guides 41 are angularly recessed as shown at 42 (Fig. 2) to provide clearance for the realtive movement of the wedge when moving to separate the heads 10 and 11, to the right, as seen in this figure. A compression spring 43 encircles plunger 34 and is interposed between collar 35 and a second annular rib 44 of cylinder 38, which rib 44 serves as a guide for the opposite end of plunger 34. While spring 43 maintains a biasing'pressure upon the cam block or wedge 19 to restore it to normal position after a check separating operation, its primary purpose is to maintain the position of wedge 19 the loose intermixed stack is compressed to a solid condition. This operation will be more fully explained hereinafter in the description of the operation of the mechanism.

In order to guide the latch cylinder 38 in its movement to check separating position and move it to check supporting and discharge position, it is slidably mounted within a cylindrical member 45 and is supported by a drift pin 46 passing transversely therethrough having one end projecting outwardly to ride in a slot 47 provided in the cylinder 45. Normally, the pin 46 seats at one end of the slot 47, but also functions to transfer motion to the latching cylinder 38. The pin 46 also passes through a lost-motion slot 48 in the tubular neck 50 of an annular flange 51 which forms the latch mount for cylinder 38. Flange 51 is provided with a tubular projection 51a having a plurality of apertures 51b which together form an annular cage for a plurality of clutch balls 52 biased to the left, as seen in Fig. 2, to keep the balls in intimate contact with the tapered wall 53 of cylinder 38 and the tapered side 54 of an inverted truncated extension of plunger 34. The tubular neck 50 terminates in a bifurcated guide 56 (Fig. l) telescopically fitting about a shank 57 of a cylindrical cup 58 fitted into the free end of the latching cylinder 38 and fastened by a transversely disposed pin 60, to move with the cylinder 38. A compression spring 59 encircles the slip joint to maintain the parts properly biased.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when plunger 34 shifts due to contact of the cam wedge 19 with the check stack, the tapered extension 55 functions as a clutch to thereby latch the plunger 34 to permit the withdrawing mechanism to operate. After the check has been withdrawn from the pin pick up heads 10 and 11, the clutch latch is released by an actuating arm 61 which projects laterally to the exterior of the unit by way of a slot 49 in the member 45 and has a ball fulcrum 62 biased by spring 62a into a tapered socket 63 of the cylinder 38. The inner end of the arm 61 carries a shift.

fork 64 which straddles a pin 65 passing snugly through the neck 50 of the latch member. The free end of the arm 61 rides in the path of a stop 66 carried by a bracket 67 fixed to a support frame 68, and when arm 61 contacts stop 66, cage 51 is moved to the light, as seen in Fig. 1, moving balls 52 to unlatching position permitting shaft 54 to resume its normal position as urged by spring 43. The stop 66 is adjustable axially to the correct position for releasing the ball clutch at the time the supported check is ready for release from the pin pickup.

As a means for shifting the latch cylinder 38, while also compensating for the decrease in height of the stack, as the checks are removed one at a time, the member 45 is slidably mounted within a cylindrical shell 70 and has an integral bifurcated yoke 71 which carries a fixed bearing pin 72 as a support for a cam roller 73. A pair of coil springs 74 are stretched between the ends of shaft 72 and fixed points to hold the roller 73 in contact with the periphery of a rotatable cam 75 while functioning to shift the cylinder 38 after the pins engage a check. The cam 75 is driven from a suitable source and is contoured to time the movement of the cylinder 38 in the cycle for accurate control of the check pick-up mechanism. The free end of the member 45 terminates short of the flange of the latch cylinder end 37 to thereby provide clearance for a coil compression spring 77 located to seat at opposite ends respectively againstthe member 45 and the flange 37 of the latching cylinder 38, such spring 77 encircling 'the plunger 38. This spring 77 is heavier than the spring 43 which acts upon the collar 35, so that the latter permits the cam block 18 to rise when it reacts against the stack While the latch cylinder 38 is held down by the spring 77.

The operation of the pick-off mechanism is as follows:

First it should be noted that the sheet or check stack is preferably contained in a hopper 80 (Figs 7 through 12) and held in loosely stacked relation between a pusher block 81, a fixed abutment 82 and a movable abutment 83 which are in aligned spaced relation to seat the respective end portions of the end check of the stack and thus leave the middle portion of the check exposed for the entry of the pick-off heads. The pusher block 81 is urged towards abutments 82 and 83 by suitable means such as a spring or springs 84, and is held against backward movement by suitable means, such as a ratchet mechanism indicated diagrammatically at 84a in Fig. 10. In addition two spring clips 85 project oppositely from the depressed center of the block 81 to bias the checkends against the aligned abutments 82 and 83, and serve to further retain the check ends while the pick-off forms a loopin the check between the held ends. The abutment 83 is a rotatable member functioning as a part of secondly when there is only a single sheet. Consideration will firstfbe given to the former. When designing the illustrated device it was determined that a specific load is required to compress the maximum sized stack to its solid height. Spring 43 therefore was designed so that shaft 34, 'to which is attached the cam block wedge 19, may not move until the stack is compressed to its solid height, Since spring 77 is stronger than spring 43 plunger shaft 34 moves forcing the pins to be inserted into the top sheet.

The second consideration is when only one sheet is left in the hopper. It can readily be seen that there is no stack compression. Consequently when the force required to compress spring 43 is overcome spring 77 acts as an overtravel spring.

J n the cycle of operationthe rotation of cm 75 againstits roller 73 and pin 72 stretches the springs 74 so that the yoke 71 moves the pick-off unit toward the stack. This movement bringscam wedge feet 20 and 21,3into contact with the juxtaposed end check of the stack,;whereupon wedge block 19and its plunger 34 are pressed inwardly towards the latch, and simultaneously cams -20 and 21 spread the heads and 11 apart thereby causing the pins of the rows to penetrate the check to be removed. The relative motion between the cams and the heads is such that the penetrating movement is less than thethickne'ss of the end check, so the pins do not enter the succeeding check. When the pins have entered the check the ,plunger 34 has moved relative to the latch cylinder 38 to a position where the ball clutch grips the parts in latched position. Now cam 75 releases its roller to the action of spring 74 so that cylinder 45 is given a restoring movement which is transferred to the drift pin 46 and thenceto the latching cylinder 38 and its latched plunger 34 whereupon the pick-up member is moved away from the stack. During this movement the two abutments 82 and 83 restrain theends of the check so that the unheld portion of the check therebetween forms a loop which can bow into the undercuts or recesses -1 8-and 26 in the heads and cam feet respectively, the presence of which prevents reacting forces from pushing the check oif of the pins. Further this compensating ofthe loop gives better tension upon the inserted pins. The reason for setting the pins at a dif ferent angle than that of the cam surfaces to cause the -pins to enter the paper prior to the completion of head movement thereby putting the paper in tension between the pins thus to provide a positive holding force. A slight tearing of the paper may occur but it is inconsequential. o 7 p In order to withdraw one end of the pin-gripped check so that it can be removed by a follow-up and feeding mechanism, the abutment 83 is in the form of a rotatabIe disc having diametrically disposed slots 86 fdiihlihglrespectively two tapered arcuate i ingers 8 7 and 88 arranged respectively to ride between the end check and the stack to draw the loop 89 formed in the central portion of the check outwardly under timed action of the pin-pickoif heads. Each finger 87 and 88 preferably increases in thickness from its apex, 87a and 88a respectively a short distance to ensure accurate entry of the finger between the loop and the next check. Disc abutment 83 is keyed to a driven shaft 90 and mounted to ride in a plane coincident with the plane of the fixed abutment 82 and is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the check stack. Shaft 90 is driven by a suitably timed source of power to give an intermittent rotation to disc abutment 83 so that either of fingers 87 or 88 enter the space formed by a paper loop 89 and comes to rest in order for the sheet feed mechanism to function. In this connection it should be noted that each slot 86 diverges towards the periphery of the disc to provide a gap 91 so related to the arc of travel of the disc that as the disc margin 92 withdraws one end of the engaged check, substantially coincidentally there- 6 with the entering pick-off head enters a gap to engage the inner face of the next check to form the loop 89. With the disc stopped the separated end'of the check is now on the outer side of the disc in position to be engaged by a feed roller 93.

This roller 93 is suitably journalled and positioned to r1de in bearing contact with the free end of the separated check as soon as the released end of the check overlies the margin 92 of the stripping abutment. By this contact pressure and roller rotation the check is withdrawn and fed away from the stack. Ineach cycle of operation the abutment disc is given a half turn to insert a finger under the loop of the check and so withdraw the end of the check, which is then gripped by the feed roller and the check Withdrawn. During this half stripping cycle, the check pick-off head unit is latched with the pins retracted from the check, but as the check is fed away, the head unit is unlatched and lowered to pin penetrate the next check and the cycle continues with the following abutment finger rotating into stripping position.

It will now be apparent that a novel mechanism has been devised for separating the end check of a loosely held stack of intermixed checks and thereafter feeding the separated check away from the stack. Broadly, the mechanism includes an ingenious device for causing the end check of a stack of checks to form a loop while restraining the ends of the check, providing means for latching the device to hold the loop in position for the removal of a check, and inserting a stripping element into the loop which functions to withdraw one of the check ends, and gripping the withdrawn end with a'feed roller operating in timed relation in the cycle for removing the check from the stack.

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet feeding mechanism comprising the com.- bination of a sheet pick-01f unit, means for supporting a stack of sheets, means urging said stack into juxtaposed relation to said unit, said unit including two slidably mounted heads arranged in opposed relation, means biasing said heads towards each other, a row of pins in each head projecting toward the sheet to be removed, said pins being angularly disposed in opposite directions away from each other, means for moving said heads into contact with said sheet, means operated by contact with said sheet to separate said heads to cause said pins to pierce the sheet, means for moving said heads and pin held sheet away from the stack, and means to remove the sheet from said pins.

2. A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim -1 wherein each head has a cam face and said separating means is a cam riding between said cam fces.

3. A sheet feeding mechnism comprising the combination of a hopper for said sheets, two abutments on said hopper and having an opening therebet'ween, means yieldably urging a stack of sheets against said abutments, a sheet pickup unit including two rows of angularly disposed pins for piercing the end sheet of said stack in opposite directions away from each other, means for moving said unit into contact with that portion of the end sheet exposed in said opening, means carried by said unit responsive to contact with said sheet to cause said pins to pierce the sheet, means for moving said unit and pin attached sheet away from said stack, and means to remove said sheet from said pins.

4. A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 3 wherein means feeds the removed sheet away from said stack.

5. A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 4 wherein means latches said unit in moved away position.

6. A sheet feeding mechanism comprising two heads arranged in juxtaposed relation, means mounting said heads for movement toward and away from each other, means biasing said heads towards each other, a row of pins in each head projecting therefrom respectively at an angle to the plane of the end sheet of a stack of sheets and in opposite directions away from each other, means including a wedge 'for separating said heads, and means for moving said wedge into contact with the end sheet of said stack thus forcing said Wedge to move between said heads, said wedge being dimensioned to bring said heads into contact with said sheet to cause said pins to pierce said sheet'while being separated.

7. A sheet feeder according to claim 6 and including means to latch said wedge with said sheet held by said pins, and means to withdraw said latch and pin impinged sheet away from said stack.

8. A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 6 wherein the angularity of the pin rows with respect to the end sheet is greater than the angularity of said wedge.

9. A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 6 wherein means operates to remove said sheet from said p1ns.

10. A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 7 wherein means operates to release said latch means to restore said wedge with said heads retracted.

11. A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 12 wherein said latching means is a ball friction clutch.

12. A sheet feeding mechanism comprising two heads arranged in juxtaposed relation, means mounting said heads for movement toward and away from each other, means biasing said heads towards each other, a row of pins in each head projecting therefrom respectively at an angle to the plane of the end sheet of a stack of sheets and in opposite directions, means including a wedge for separating said heads, means including compressed springs urging said wedge from head separating position to seat upon the end sheet of said stack, a slidably mounted cylinder, a flange on said cylinder encircling said wedge means, means for moving said cylinder flange towards said sheet to permit said wedge to move relative thereto by contact with said sheet to separate said heads and cause said pins to pierce said sheet, means to latch said cylinder and wedge means together in pierced condition of said sheet, and means to move said latched cylinder away from the stack whereby part of said sheet is separated from the stack to form a loop.

13. A sheet feeding'mechanism according to claim 12 wherein means holds said cylinder while said wedge means moves to latching position.

14. A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 13 wherein said holding means are compression springs.

15. A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 14 wherein said holding springs are stiffer than said wedge urging springs.

16. A sheet feeding'mechanism according to claim 12 wherein means moves said cylinder away from the stack to separate a portion of said end sheet to form a loop.

17.- A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 12' wherein means feeds the looped sheet away from said stack.

ments, means to withdraw said check-exposedportion from said stack in the form of a loop, one of said abutments being in the form of-a disk, meanstorotate said disk in timed relation to said withdrawing means, means including a peripherally disposed finger on said disk to enter said loop and remove one-end-of the looped check from behind said abutment, 'and means timed Withsaitl' finger rotation'to feed the che'ck away from thestack;

20. A sheet'feeding mechanism according to 'claimf19 wherein said rotating means operates intermittently} whereby said disk is at rest when said feeding meansoperates.

21. A sheet feeding mechanism according to'claim 19 wherein said disk has" a plurality of fingers for respec 5 tively entering loops in successive sheets.

22. A sheet feeding mechanism, comprising the com I bination of a sheet pick-off unit, said unit including two spaced substantially parallel-rows 'of pointed pins, means formovably mounting said rows of pins, melans forf supporting a sheet, means for moving said unit into} contact with said sheet, means carried'by said unit-and: responsive to contact with said sheet for causing 'said" rows of pins to move in directions away from" each other and topier'ce said sheet while'so--'moving,-means for drawing said unit and the pin attached sheet-away from said supporting means, and means to remove said sheet from said pins.

23." A sheet feeding mechanism, according to claim 22 and further including means automatically operative-for 24. A construction according to claim22 wherein the feeding the removedsheet away 1 from the supporting pointed ends of the pins in one row are 'angularly dis-1 posed'away from the pointed ends of the pins of the other row, thereby to pierce said sheet in a direction angularly away from the direction in which the sheetf is pierced by said other row of pins.

References Cited in the file of this patent V 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS 322,670 1,295,945 Winkley Mar. 4, 1919 1,641,841 Fernandez Sept. 6, 1927 2,816,760 Seragnoli Dec. 17, 1 957 Yates 'July 21,"18 8 5.' 

